Investigation by 'Indianapolis Star' hailed as proof of local journalism's impact

Before Larry Nassar was sentenced to 40 to 175 years, the prosecutor said if it weren't for the investigative reporting of the Indianapolis Star, Nassar would still be abusing gymnasts. Those reporters now share how they gave a voice to the victims.
USA TODAY

The Indianapolis Star has been lauded for its investigation into sexual abuse within USA Gymnastics. Former team doctor Larry Nassar was sentenced to up to 175 years in prison Wednesday.(Photo: Matt Detrich/Indianapolis Star)

The Indianapolis Star's investigation into sexual abuse within USA Gymnastics, which culminated with the sentencing Wednesday of former team doctor Larry Nassar for up to 175 years in prison, is a sign that local journalism still matters, say media observers, even as public trust in media remains dismal.

The Star, which is owned by Gannett and is part of the USA TODAY NETWORK, began the investigation nearly two years ago when reporter Marisa Kwiatkowski began looking into a lawsuit that named USA Gymnastics as a defendant.

"We were working on it basically full time from the middle of March (2016) until publication on Aug. 4, about four and a half months of working before the first story came out," she said Thursday during a Facebook Live discussion of the investigation.

That led to one of the victims, Rachael Denhollander, a former club level gymnast from Louisville, contacting the paper and allowing the publication of her name, charging Nassar with sexually abusing her under the guise of medical care.

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Rachael Denhollander, the first to file criminal charges against Larry Nasser, speaks out about her sexual abuse from the ex-USA Gymnastics doctor.
USA TODAY Sports

For many, The Star's work has become a symbol of the value of investigative reporting. Judge Rosemarie Aquilina, who heard the case against Nassar, and state Assistant Attorney General Angela Povilaitis, who tried the case, both hailed the journalism that brought Nassar to justice.

"You have done just a fabulous job here," Aquilina said. "I do believe in the First Amendment, so I thank you all for being here because it's an important story for the survivors."

Povilaitis went even further, saying: “It shouldn’t take investigative journalists to expose predators. ... But thank God we have these journalists, and that they exposed this truth and that they continue to cover this story. Thank God Rachael Denhollander made that first contact with the reporter and decided to allow them to publish her name.”

Prosecutor in Larry Nassar case: “We, as a society, need investigative journalists more than ever.”

Without reporters and the first victim to speak out publicly, “he would still be practicing medicine – treating athletes and abusing kids,” she said. pic.twitter.com/Cqcxip6gmd

TV writer and producer David Simon (The Wire, The Deuce) tweeted that "given the scope of the abuse, it seems the @indystar's work was grossly underreported, if not ignored nationally. Curious as to why this appalling and essential narrative of sexual abuse and commodification didn't find traction earlier."

In retrospect, given the scope of the abuse, it seems the @indystar's work was grossly underreported, if not ignored nationally. Curious as to why this appalling and essential narrative of sexual abuse and commodification didn't find traction earlier. https://t.co/eYFZhemcgP

New York Times national security reporter Adam Goldman tweeted that he thought the Star deserved a Pulitzer Prize when it published its series of stories in 2016. "I still think that today. You rarely see this kind of impact in journalism," he continued.

When the @indystar published in 2016 its stories on USA Gymnastics’ failure to protect young athletes, I thought the paper deserved a @PulitzerPrize. I still think that today. You rarely see this kind of impact in journalism.

The Star won some awards for its work, including the 2016 Investigative Reporters & Editors' Tom Renner award for criminal justice reporting.

In an interview this week with Kwiatkowski, Poynter Institute vice president Kelly McBride noted that the work fell short of becoming a Pulitzer finalist. "I feel like now it was a little overlooked," she said. "Did you feel that way?" she asked of Kwiatkowski.

"Really for us it was about the fact that we were able to make a difference, in at least one case," Kwiatkowski said. "Larry Nassar is in prison."

The newspaper began focusing on USA Gymnastics, which is headquartered in Indianapolis, during a time of growing strife for journalism — and local and community journalism, in particular.

Newspaper publishers ranked as No. 10 in 24/7 Wall Street’s recent America's 24 Dying Industries report. Government statistics show that newspaper publishing employment has fallen by half since 2007, when the industry had about 350,000 U.S. employees. That has fallen to about 177,000.

During the time of The Star's investigation, the public's trust in the media hit a new low, based on Gallup's polling, when in 2016 only 32% of Americans said they had a great deal or fair amount of trust in the media.

Marisa Kwiatkowski and Mark Alesia work on a story surrounding allegations of a pattern of sexual abuse related to USA Gymnastics last year.(Photo: Robert Scheer/Indianapolis Star)

More recently, Americans' trust has buoyed slightly, according to a Gallup/Knight Foundation survey released this month, which found 33% had a positive view of the media, while 43% had a negative view, and 23% were neutral.

Sharp criticism of journalism from high-profile figures, from President Trump regularly ripping into news organizations for what he terms "fake news" to Pope Francis decrying journalists for "falsehoods, rhetorical slogans, and sensational headlines," hasn't let up.

"We had been getting beat up a bit with all this 'fake news' stuff," said Mark Alesia, another of The Star's investigative reporters along with reporter Tim Evans.

"Angela Povilaitis actually told me she wanted to send a message nationally about the importance of journalism, while at the same time recognizing our role in helping out these survivors, these 156 really brave women, come forward and tell these very deeply personal stories."